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Show J6-2-F 7 W 200 3 H5O05 Cast In paper page 15 Oil collection centers page 3 60-year reunion page 13 DUP jubilee page 17 Streak snaps page 18 Soccer hit on chin page 20 SLC, UT 84101 Single Copy 50 WEDNESDAY, September 6, 1995 Vernal, Utah 84078 103rd Year No. 36 20 Pages CR UT PRESORT -142 C 123199 UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION f Check Inside 1 i u ft-' 3 MBlMSWBBnBBM'- U U L ... r N Ull Improvement needs public support by Steven Wallls Express Editor The revitalization of the Utah Field House of Natural History is a top priority with the Utah State Building Board, but it won't happen hap-pen soon without public support. The Utah Field House was built in 1947-48 at the request of Rick Nord, Forest Supervisor. Since that time the Field House was added on to in 1960 and in the late 1970s for the Dinosaur Gardens. In all it's nearly 50 years, the building has never been renovated. Currently, the Field House is a repository for local resources and paleontology. "If it fails to meet federal repository requirements, we could lose our collections," said Dr. Sue Ann Bilby, curator at the Field House. "If we lose the collections, we will lose the museum." The only storage . area for resources and paleontology is a small dungeon-like corridor which is on the second floor of the Field House above the displays. The smallness of the area makes it almost impossible for research. To bring the museum up to date and provide adequate space for research, Field House Director Alden Hamblin has proposed an expansion of the Field House either to the north or east of the present building. The major problem with either expansion is they eliminate parking. Annually the Field House attracts 130,000 to 140,000 people, but it is feeling the affects of other more modern and attractive museums around the state pulling tourists away. "What we really need is your help," said Hamblin. "Many projects pro-jects are still in the planning stages, Utes to hold recall election Those behind efforts to oust Stewart Pike from the Ute Business Committee have won a Sept. 19 date for a recall election. The petition for a recall election was certified by the Business Committee last Friday. Pike was absent from the meeting. Despite the recall election, Pike said he was not discouraged by the action. "I am not losing any sleep over the petition." He said he has received numerous numer-ous calls from people supporting him as a member of the Tribal Business Committee. "People are dissatisfied with a lot of things," Pike said. "They are tired of the Business Committee in general and would like a different form of government." Pike said he is investigating several sev-eral other forms of government used by neighboring tribes. Gloria Norton, Upcompahgre band member present the 168 signatures sig-natures petition to the business committee. Stewart Pike was present pre-sent and said he had no problem with it. The trial constitution says any band can recall their council representative repre-sentative by a petition of one-third of the band. The Business Committee turn the petition to the Vital Statistic Department to verify veri-fy the signatures and present their findings. This will be Pike's third recall election. "Perhaps if I am voted out it will be a load off my shoulders," shoul-ders," Pike said. "I can still bring about the stability the tribal leadership leader-ship needs without being on the committee." If Pike is voted off the Business Committee, he could run again for his position during the replacement replace-ment election. Of the 197 names on the petition vrU UTAH HU.D ';r; jOr NATURAL liiiif , III HIMIIMflllll Photo by Steven Wallis Utah Field House continues to attract over 120,000 tourists a year, but in order to keep pace, expansion and remodeling of the 50-year-old building are being planned. but the ones that are completed are those that have the support of the community." Plans for a remodel and expansion are estimated at $30,000 to $40,000. In the current proposal: Complete remodel of the facility. facili-ty. Remodel and update of exhibit halls. Remodel and expansion of cura- to removed Pike, nine were declared invalid. Those supporting a recall need 168 signatures, which is a third of the Uncompahgre band's eligible Voters. The Business Committee appointed Armond Acuttoroop, Wendy P. Cuch and Marietta Reed as the new election commission to oversee over-see the recall election. The tribe's recall ordinance was changed by the new Business Committee so a person who wants his or her name removed must obtain a tribal court order. The order should be obtained within 72 hours of the committee's acceptance accep-tance of the petition. After the 72 hours, a person has 48 hours to contact vital statistics. Larry Blackhair, Business Committee person, said the ordinance was changed because in the past people were threatened into having their names removed. Pike was at the center of political upheaval within the tribe, which invoked tribal members into replacing three of its Business Committee members. The old committee refused to recognize the new members and obtained a second election based on reported election violations. The same committee members were again elected by a wider majority in the second election. Pike was ordered by a Tribal Court Judge to cease acting as chairman of the Business Committee. Pike didn't get a copy of the petition until Friday afternoon. Blackhair said he ancf the other committee members feel that Pike's possible recall is an issue raised by his band members, the Uncompahgres, and is best handled han-dled only by them. Hp.USEVjrs: HISTORY fl.' 4i Y.N. , W8 tion area. Build a "greenhouse" over Dinosaur Garden. More prehistoric animals in Dinosaur Garden. v Develop an interagency information informa-tion center. When Dinosaur Gardens was originally orig-inally planned, it was inside a greenhouse like building. According to Dr. Bilby, the green H'.n " , t : : f tf i ,f I ;$ . j '' t ' 's 0 imc cease DnUseDy odd couiratiy larodhTfiDD fees An increase in disposal fees at the Uintah County Landfill is likely if a draft resolution before Uintah County Commissioners is adopted. The resolution will increase the dumping of household wastes from $5 a load to $7 a load. There will be a $3 per load charge for yard and garden wastes. The proposed increases will double the fees charged to commercial haulers at the landfill. Landfill Superintendent Man dies after rescuing child Kent W. Schmidt, 36, of Vernal died as the result of an accidental drowning Monday. The accident occurred in the early afternoon when Schmidt took his children swimming in the Green River near the Jensen Bridge. Based on reports from the Uintah County Sheriffs Department, one of the young children had strayed too far from shore and was experiencing experi-encing problems, when Schmidt entered the water. Schmidt rescued the children, but was over-come by the swift currents. Schmidt's body was located a short distance down river by Uintah County Search and Rescue divers. Schmidt was transported to Ashley Valley Medical Center by ambulance ambu-lance and was later pronounced dead after all efforts had been exhausted to revive Schmidts. Also during the weekend, Uintah County Sheriff deputies responded to 486 other incidents. Search and Rescue responded to reports of two lost hunters at the Pot Holes and Hacking Lake. Both were found. .aCMN .y.to- AitJsltti - iMfciilT Ti V""J-liii ii i I mi Ii house plan has several advantages. Botanical specimens appropriate for the period could be planted in the greenhouse, it would provide for year-round visitation, it would be the only enclosed botanical garden between Denver and California andj it could incorporate more dinosaurs and the unique Eocene mammals of. the area. The most favored expansion to the museum is a 150-foot expansion to Doug Slaugh said the reason for the proposed increase was to bring the fee portion of the revenue to operate oper-ate the landfill equal to the property tax revenue. Currently fees pay about 33 percent of the cost to operate oper-ate the landfill while, property taxes pay for 77 percent. "With the change, large property owners do not pay an unfair share at the landfill," Slaugh said. Commercial haulers who were at . V imtM.tM.i Photo by Steven Wallis Ed Zerbachen shares garden produce with Uintah County Commissioners Lewis Vincent, Glen McKee and Lorin Merrell (not pictured). Commissioners were appreciative, especially for the elephant garlic. 1 ., Jj J ii; the north side of the present building. build-ing. The expansion would enhance the Field House's ability to provide both interesting and educational experiences. The multipurpose area currently has 20 lectures a years, which is pushing its capacity. Other areas being pushed to their limits are the exhibit hall and curation area. Part of the plan is the consolidation consoli-dation of the fee station and gift See Field House on page 3 the Tuesday Commission Meeting were concerned with the new resolution. reso-lution. Kristy Wall suggested the county charge by weight rather than volume as described in the resolution. resolu-tion. Commissioner Lorin Merrell said he was not ready to act on the resolution reso-lution because people need to be informed. Commissioners delayed action on the resolution until next Tuesday. Railroad task force formed To hear Fred Payne talk about a railroad coming to the Uintah Basin, you would think it could really happen. hap-pen. At an estimated cost of $1 million a mile, the project would seem unsurmountable, but Payne compares com-pares the task to "eating an elephant, ele-phant, one piece at a time." During last Wednesday's railroad discussion, Commissioner Lewis Vincent suggested that a through route would be the best, but he would be satisfied with just a spur. He suggested the ideal route for the railroad would be along the Seep Ridge Road. The route would require a 2.5 mile tunnel to avoid the steep grades on the Book Cliffs. Payne suggested a route for which the rights of way already exist: from Grand Junction Colorado to Watson, Ft. Duchesne and into Myton. The rights of way are still in effect, Payne said. "This would be the less complicated route, if not the most preferred." The group examined several sources of funding for a feasibility study for the project which would determine if a railroad would pay for itself. It was recommended to pursue a Community Impact Board grant and to approach an university to head the study. Cost of the railroad rail-road study was estimated at $45,000. Commodities which would be hauled by the railroad include timber, tim-ber, oil, natural gas, phosphate, tar sands, coal and oil shale. It was determined that the oil production in the Uintah Basin could fill 24 train cars a day. Part of the feasibility study would determine the impact of a railroad on the trucking industry. "Would it hurt the trucking industry more than we would gain?" questioned Julie Rooster, Utah Power and Light facilitator of the discussion. "With everything else being equal the Uintah Basin is at an economical economi-cal disadvantage because of transportation," trans-portation," said Alan Rinclisbacher, national development director for the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development. The group selected a special task force to head the funding and initiate initi-ate a feasibility study. Chairman of the group will be decided at the task force's first meeting, Oct. 1 1. Uintah County Economic Development Director Marie Yoder, said a railroad company has shown some interest in the proposed project. |